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Ok guys heres what I got. I have a big project coming up with a friend who is building a house. This place isnt a house though, its a fortress. They have contracted Digital Systems to set up a home automation system in the house, I have been working very closely with them. We are doing a Savant system. I have another friend who has DirecTV and Savant and they really go hand in hand, although the Digital Systems guy recommends Comcast. There is a server room on the third floor which is going to double as the attic. What I have planned for the rack in the server room is 2 HD-DVRs and 4 HD Receivers. I am not going to do a DECA system, I am going to do the unsupported setup for that. I want the receivers to be part of my friends wired network. There are also going to be more receivers in the kids rooms and in the media room. Heres the problem, the sheet rock and insulation are already up, and the Digital Systems guys only ran two RG6 lines up to the server room. I was going to do a SWM-16 system for the house because that would provide enough tuners. A SWM8 doesnt look like it is going to cut it, a SWM8 wont even cut it at my house. The first RG6 line is going towards the Internet and Phone, which will be done through Comcast. That means I only have one line to work with, as now its too late to run more lines. I was wondering if there is a way to combine the SWM-16 into one line. I really dont want to do it, but a SWM-8 is absolutely not an option based on the number of tuners we are going to have. The design for the DirecTV system has kind of gone out the drain here by accident, the Coax line issue went unchecked until now. The original idea was to have 6 lines up to the server room, 4 coming from the dish to the multiswitch in the server room, which is now going to have to go in the basement. 2 more coming up, one being for the Internet and Phone, and the last was going to be a backup. HELP!!!

There are also two Ethernet lines coming down to the basement. The issue may resolve itself if they don't get cable for the Internet or if Comcast can hook up in the basement and send everything up the Ethernet cables. Comcast has the fastest Internet here so they are the most likely candidate for Internet. Not so sure you would want to put a commercial grade modem in a basement exposed to the elements

Ive installed thousands of comacast modems and emtas in basements. Its not an issue. If it ever did have a problem they will replace. Gettring a comcast tech that knows how to terminate rg45 properly, thats about a 1 out of 10 crapshoot so hopefully you guys can handle that. theres no way to do a swm16 with only 1 line, so if your friend wants to save alot of issues from here on out, have someone open some walls and get a 4 inch conduit from the basement to the attic. then these big issues are minor issues. all the fortresses i work in have them....

No way to combine the two outputs of the SWiM-16 since its basically just two independent SWiM-8s on one platform and using the same frequencies.

Now admittedly some in similar situations have gotten away with diplexing the cable modem signal onto one of the coaxes carrying the satellite SWiM signals as long as the cable modem service version was DOCSIS 2.0, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it.

No, unfortunately short of running another coax line up to the server room you're pretty much stuck somehow placing the cable modem in the basement and trying to run its output through one of the ethernet lines to the SR.

When I say this basement is exposed to the elements, the floor is dirt, there are vents in the walls that go outside, rain gets in, etc. The "fortress" is built off the ground basically, but you could still call it a basement. Also, this is Mississippi, home of the climate that's 28 degrees by night and 110 by day. Are you sure you would install a cable modem down there? I wouldn't even put the SWM power inserter down there, never mind a cable modem or emta! Perhaps a weather proof cabinet or something could shield it though, it looks as if it's going to have to go down there if he goes with DirecTV

When I say this basement is exposed to the elements, the floor is dirt, there are vents in the walls that go outside, rain gets in, etc. The "fortress" is built off the ground basically, but you could still call it a basement. Also, this is Mississippi, home of the climate that's 28 degrees by night and 110 by day. Are you sure you would install a cable modem down there? I wouldn't even put the SWM power inserter down there, never mind a cable modem or emta! Perhaps a weather proof cabinet or something could shield it though, it looks as if it's going to have to go down there if he goes with DirecTV

Ok guys heres what I got. I have a big project coming up with a friend who is building a house. This place isnt a house though, its a fortress. They have contracted Digital Systems to set up a home automation system in the house, I have been working very closely with them. We are doing a Savant system. I have another friend who has DirecTV and Savant and they really go hand in hand, although the Digital Systems guy recommends Comcast. There is a server room on the third floor which is going to double as the attic. What I have planned for the rack in the server room is 2 HD-DVRs and 4 HD Receivers. I am not going to do a DECA system, I am going to do the unsupported setup for that. I want the receivers to be part of my friends wired network. There are also going to be more receivers in the kids rooms and in the media room. Heres the problem, the sheet rock and insulation are already up, and the Digital Systems guys only ran two RG6 lines up to the server room. I was going to do a SWM-16 system for the house because that would provide enough tuners. A SWM8 doesnt look like it is going to cut it, a SWM8 wont even cut it at my house. The first RG6 line is going towards the Internet and Phone, which will be done through Comcast. That means I only have one line to work with, as now its too late to run more lines. I was wondering if there is a way to combine the SWM-16 into one line. I really dont want to do it, but a SWM-8 is absolutely not an option based on the number of tuners we are going to have. The design for the DirecTV system has kind of gone out the drain here by accident, the Coax line issue went unchecked until now. The original idea was to have 6 lines up to the server room, 4 coming from the dish to the multiswitch in the server room, which is now going to have to go in the basement. 2 more coming up, one being for the Internet and Phone, and the last was going to be a backup. HELP!!!

There are also two Ethernet lines coming down to the basement. The issue may resolve itself if they don't get cable for the Internet or if Comcast can hook up in the basement and send everything up the Ethernet cables. Comcast has the fastest Internet here so they are the most likely candidate for Internet. Not so sure you would want to put a commercial grade modem in a basement exposed to the elements

It sounds like a SWM8 would be enough to me unless he wants to start adding boxes in the future. (2 DVRs and 4 Receivers is right at the 8 max tuners.) If you're going to do a SWM16, why don't you pass the SWM signal up on the two RG6 runs (gives you a max of 8 tuners per run, 16 total.) and then pass internet up on the Cat5/6 that is there? Or you could pass SWM8 signal up one piece of RG6 and internet up the other.

I have a crawl space too which is "open" to the elements and I plan to have my SWM switch and PI in mine once everything is said and done. As long as they don't get wet they should stay relatively dry and unharmed. Crawl space temps aren't much of a concern in the winter as the vents should be closed.

When I say this basement is exposed to the elements, the floor is dirt, there are vents in the walls that go outside, rain gets in, etc. The "fortress" is built off the ground basically, but you could still call it a basement. Also, this is Mississippi, home of the climate that's 28 degrees by night and 110 by day. Are you sure you would install a cable modem down there? I wouldn't even put the SWM power inserter down there, never mind a cable modem or emta! Perhaps a weather proof cabinet or something could shield it though, it looks as if it's going to have to go down there if he goes with DirecTV

not the fortress basement i was envisioning, Ive seen more suitable basements in the ghettos on 4th and tatnall. since you described it that way i wouldnt end any wiring down there at all. make it all come together at a place where someone can work.

I'm slapping myself for not saying crawl space. Anyway, heres a pic of it and the cables. I know the DirecTV stuff will be ok. I'm worried about Comcast now. Gray and white are Cat5e, Black and White are RG6, Red and Gray are for the alarm